The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word EASYGOING
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
E
A
S
Y
G
O
I
N
G
More clues leading to the result EASYGOING
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "without formality" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case without formality = easygoing.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EASYGOING mean?
EASYGOING adjective- (of a person) calm, relaxed, casual and informal
- (of a journey or pace) unhurried